Poodle's bark saves neighbor's dog from tragedy

Digger, a Labrador mixed breed who is always on a leash and still learning as a 1-year-old, got loose Oct. 5 for the first time and darted toward Utica Road in Roseville during rush-hour traffic.

Digger’s owner, Dan Lewandowski, cried out for his dog to stop, but to no avail.

That’s when Sara, a 13-year-old poodle who lives across the street on Pine Grove, ran toward Utica Road where Digger was heading and barked out loudly.

Digger, who perhaps heard her dog counterpart barking, stopped just before running into traffic, turned around and ran back toward Sara as the owners of both dogs joined the fracas.

Was it a coincidence? Was it luck?

Or does Sara the miniature poodle possess a ‘doggie on the spot’ aura when others are in distress?

“Digger didn’t stop running. After hearing Sara barking, Digger stopped and turned around,” said Mark Alsterberg, 56, who is Sara’s owner and lives near Utica and Common roads.

Lewandowski said his dog’s collar became loose and somehow the slippery and excitable dog “took off.”

“I have no clue,” said Lewandowski, who watched Digger take off with Kelly Doberrer and their 3-year-old son, Evan. “I was yelling for him to stop.”

But Digger didn’t stop until Sara ran down the street to the next building and started barking.

“It doesn’t surprise me,” Alsterberg said. “My wife, Mary, passed away three years ago and before she died Sara could pick up on when my wife was having seizures and alert me. She is super-intelligent. She’d nibble on my left ear when I was sleeping if something was wrong. I wouldn’t know what was going on and Sara would wake me up if there was a problem.”

Alsterberg said he heard Lewandowski yelling for his dog.

“She bolts toward the road at 4 p.m. in the afternoon and she’s not coming back,” he recounted. “We hear this guy yelling for help. I went around the front with Sara and she knew it was a panic situation. I have a bad right foot, so Sara goes down to the next building where we live and starts barking at the other dog in dog language.

“That got her attention,” he continued. “My little dog — the ombudsmen around here — barked and the other turned around and ran right back toward us. It averted a real tragedy.”

All owners agree it was a great day.

“He saved her,” Lewandowski said of Sara’s barking that resulted in Digger not running into traffic.

“It was so cool,” Alsterberg said. “She got Digger running back full speed and the little boy (Evan) was happy when Digger was corralled.”

How did Alsterberg and Sara celebrate after her big day?

“She was the hero of the day so she got a steak dinner — a filet for being hero dog,” he said. “Everyone loves her.”